Mercedes-Benz, which brought its luxury features to the world of electric cars with the flagship EQS, has now unveiled the EQE, which is still a desirable but more economical option.
For those who like the Mercedes electric sedan but can not afford the high cost, the German automaker has a new option that could be an ideal choice.
Mercedes-Benz unveiled EQE in recent days. A car that is a slightly smaller sedan on the same platform and will undoubtedly be cheaper than the previous model when it launches next year. However, the company has not yet offered a price.
The EQU electric car was introduced at the 2021 IAA Mobility Conference, along with several other electrical devices. EQB compact chassis, AMG performance car and Maybach versions of EQS and G-Wagen which is an electric concept car.
While the EQE is about 9cm shorter than the EQS, it has many of the same features as the company’s flagship electric sedan, and as Mercedes-Benz claims, it’s actually a continuation of the good EQS gene.
However, some standard EQS features are not found in standard EQE cars. For example, a large “hyper screen” display will be available on the dashboard, but will only be added to the car selectively.
Rear-wheel steering is also available as an option. In the standard EQS, the steering wheel covers the rear axle up to 4.5 degrees as standard, which can be selectively upgraded to 10 degrees. EQE will also receive software updates online.
The rear-wheel drive model uses the same 90 kWh battery that powers the original EQS model, which the company says will be suitable for a range of up to 660 km on a single charge. However, this figure is based on the European standard WLTP and therefore in practice will probably be lower.
The EQE electric car has significantly less power, from 516 hp in the EQS to just 288 hp. According to Mercedes-Benz, a second version of EQE will be available when the car launches, but it is not yet clear whether we will have to wait for more features.
Relying on the electric car platform and eliminating internal combustion engines, Mercedes-Benz has stated that the EQE’s internal cabin is clearly larger than other E-Class cars. Thus, 2.5 cm height of the room has been added for the front people and the internal length of the car has been increased by 7.6 cm. Placing the interior cabin on the battery pack also means that the EQE offers a higher position and better view of the road.
The EQS is currently considered a strong competitor to the Tesla Model S Plaid electric car, but the EQE has tried as much as possible to offer a car that is more economical and closer to the high-end Mercedes-Benz electric cars.
As long as the company continues this trend, EQE could be a better option in the market than some recent efforts by Mercedes-Benz. For example, in the case of the EQC, which was built on the platform of a combustion engine car instead of an all-electric platform, many steps were taken to synchronize it. The use of an all-electric platform was one of the goals introduced in 2019 with Vision EQS.
“After EQS, the EQE is now the second model on our platform for high-end luxury electric cars,” said Markus Schäfer, CEO of Mercedes-Benz. This speed of innovation demonstrates the benefits of scalable architecture. “With this new car, we were able to quickly provide advanced EQS features to a larger group of buyers.”
Another big goal of Mercedes-Benz with EQS Vision in 2019 was sustainable development, and EQE supports some of these ambitions. According to the company, the car’s structural shell is made of recycled steel, and many of its internal components, including cable ducts, are made from recycled and renewable materials. According to the company, less than 10% of car battery chemicals are cobalt.
It’s good to hear this from a company that, like Volkswagen, has been deceiving lawmakers for years about the real pollution of diesel cars. However, it is unlikely to increase EQE sales, and the company needs to convince buyers that sedans still have their place, and that the E-Class is worth as much as previous years’ wages compared to petrol models.
Photos: Mercedes-Benz EQE electric sedan
Credit: Daimler AG
